In some cases, patients in the UK have to wait for emergency medical assistance for more than two days because hospitals are overloaded with flu patients, The Times newspaper reports.

Frontline healthcare workers are working under considerable pressure and demand is unabated, with the latest figures showing that flu cases have reached 5,000 a day at the end of last year, said a representative of the UK's National Health Service.

Last week, nine UK hospitals declared critical overload.

The Royal Liverpool University Hospital has complained that it can take more than 50 hours for its staff to see each new emergency patient. One patient waited more than 91 hours to be seen by doctors.

University Hospitals Birmingham has urged patients to think carefully before coming to this medical center.